The specific aim of the Michigan Diabetes Research & Training Center Pilot/Feasibility Study (P/FS) Grant Program is to stimulate new research initiatives in the areas of diabetes and related endocrinology and metabolism disorders at the University of Michigan. These research initiatives may be in areas of basic or clinical biomedical science, behavioral science or in areas related the development of methodology for training patients and health care professionals. This program offers opportunities for new investigators to become involved in diabetes and endocrinology research, it encourages established investigators in other areas to focus their expertise on problems related to diabetes and endocrinology, and it enables established investigators in the field to explore new, high-risk directions that could become fruitful research areas. Each year, the Center solicits applications for P/FS grants from full-time faculty University-wide. These applications are peer-reviewed by both extramural and intramural experts in the area of the application. Only those having high scientific merit, as judged by this review process, receive P/F awards. The ultimate goal of the grant program is to enable awardees to generate a sufficient body of preliminary information for a successful application for major research funding from the NIH or other national granting agencies. During the 14 year history of the Michigan program more than half of the P/FS projects awarded have developed into fruitful extramurally-funded research programs. A major virtue of the P/FS grant program is that it attracts investigators from the various Schools and Institutes throughout the University of Michigan and in so doing has been a major force in forging the Center into an interdisciplinary unit.